Molding machine



Filed Dec. 13, 1926 July 30, 1929. F FELTES 1,722,414

MOLDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 30, 1929. F. 1 FELTES n 1,722,414

MOLDING MACHINE Filed Deo. 13, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July i 30u, 1929.2

UNITED vSTATES 11 ATENT i FFCE.

FRANK L. FELTES, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A'SSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

I ALUMINUM COMPANY OF AMERICA,- OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION' OF PENNSYLVANIA.

MOLDING MACHINE.

Application led December 13, 1926. Serial No. 154,518.

Thisl invention relates to molding machines and particularly to that class of such devices employed in casting soft metal pistons, or the like, and is of the same general nature as the machine disclosed iln my -copending application Serial No. 87,827, led

February 12, 1926. y v In a machineof the type to which reference has been made, owing to the conformation of the casting desired it is necessary not only to split the mold but also to employ a built up core, that is, one consisting of a.

number of pieces which when properly arranged make up the desired core form but which require progressive individual insertion into and withdrawal from the mold. Also in casting pistons it is customary to employ core pins inserted and removed lat1 erally through the mold .for the purpose of forming the wrist pin bearings.

In casting the core parts, being substan tially surrounded by e casting metal, attain a much higher temperature than do the mold parts which surround lthe casting metal, and it is found that the moldparts are capable of performing their function at a much higher rate of speed than the core arts. ForA this reason certain machines have been ydevised in which a multiplicity of duplicate core units are arranged to succesn sively serve the same mold parts, so that the intervals between functioning of the individualc core units allow sufficient timeA for cooling of the same. In such machines the core parts with their actuating mechanisms which comprise the core units are for the most part .necessarily movable progressively with respect to the mold and where a numb`er of core units must thus be advanced in a rapid succession were the casting machine to be made operable only by hand as before a great deal more laboris required, in pro' portion to the `iufiultiplicity of cores em-v plvyed'- 41t is .vide in a machine of the class described,

. powei` means for operation of the core mechanism in an'arrangement in whichnot only the several core units 'may 'be' successively 50 aligned with the mold but also the cores inv serted into and withdrawn therefrom, "the lultimate object being a'mu'ch more lrapid o eration of the machine than-has been possible withhand manipulation.- l

an object of this invention to pro-v 4A further object is to provide what might be termed semi-automatic operation of the core pins, that is, means for doin away with hand indexing or aligning of t e core pins for insertion into the core.

v Still another object of the invention is to provide power means for maintaining the mold closed, that is the parts of the mold in proper contact during the casting operation; all of the objects above named being accomplished in a manner best adapted for application to a machine of the peculiar nature and subject to the limitations described.

Further objects and advantages'accruing from my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the ma. chine of the type to which reference has been made, with my improvements incorporated therein; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the saine machine; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation along the line 3-3-of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a vertic l section of the pertinent parts taken alongl he line 4 7 of Fig. 2 showing details' of the core operating gears; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section along the line 5-5,'Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a horizontal section along the line 6 6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a section along the line of 4-7 of Fig. 2 showing details other than those appearing in Fig. 4;; Fig. 8 is a 'detail of the core pin turret operating mechanism, and Fig. 9 'is a horizontal section along the line 9--9 of Fig. 8.

Referring now. to the drawings, the principal parts of the machine are a frame 1 raised at `its forward portion to support a mold forming unit, and at its rear portion extending upward to support a turret head upon which zare mounted a number of core forming units adapted for rotation to successively register with the mold forming y unit.

suitably guided thereon are a pair lof mold members 14 adapted for cooperation when closed upon each other to form a cylindrical mold, the plane of parting being on 'the di- A:ameterI of 'the cylinder; the forward portions of these parts are vextended to form when in contact a sprue 14 .leading to the cylinder cavity. Beneath thetable is a rock shaft 4 movable by the lever 5 and connected by suitable linkage members 50 to 54 with the mold members 14 in such a manner that movement of the lever 5 in one direction, as to the right, Fig. 3, will slide the members apart on the table to open the mold, and in the other direction will bring them together as in the position shown.

At each side of the table is a turret 38 provided with radially extending core pins 31 adapted for insertion into corresponding laterally extending holes in the inner member 14, the turrets being aligned with these holes are movable laterally upon the table. The core pins 31 are provided in multiple as shown so that they may be used in succession by rotation of the turrets to thus allow for cooling of the idle pins. Cooling of the remaining portion of the mold is effected largely by conduction by the relatively large masses of metal, especially in the table 8 which will be noted as forming the bottom closure of the moldggas well as supporting means for the members 14 in all positions. v l

My invention embraces among other things means for automatically 'indexing the turrets 38 so that by manipulation of the lever 5 to open and close the mold the core pins 31 will be swung around progressively forI successive entry into the mold.

The turrets 38 are mounted for rotational movement in carriages 101 slidable laterally upon the table 8 and positioned thereon so -that the center lines of the turrets are in a of its ratchet wheel engaging surface as indicated. The arrangement is obviously such that as each turret 38 is moved away from the mold to clear a member 31 the teeth upon the detent member will engage those upon the ratchet wheel to effect rota tion thereof, and the proportions of parts issuch that this rotation will bein an amount corresponding with the number of core pins provided; in the embodiment illustrated four core pins' being provided upon r,cach turret, the turrets willbe rotated 90 at each 1 opening of the core.

At the ends of the table 8 upon suitable brackets 105 are mounted a pair of cylinders 106 containing pistons in connection withpiston rods 107 adapted to abut the members 14 of the mold. \The cylinders 106 areinterconnectedas by a pipe 108 and with a suitable source of fluid pressure controlled byl a valve 109. The object of vthis arrange-- 107 against the mold parts 14, thus making the pressure effective upon the piston areas to hold the mold forcibly closed while casting. After the casting operation the valve 109 is turned to release the pressure within the cylinders whereupon the mold may be reopened by the lever 5. n

The machine illustrated is provided with four core units the primary member of each of which is a core 67 adapted to correspond with the mold and comprising a number of separate members requiring insertion and withdrawal in proper sequence. In mycopending application, Serial No. 72,276, filed Nov. 30, 1925, (Patent No. 1,663,693), I have minutely described this sectional core asl well as the immediate means for. its operative assembly and disassembly. Generally this sectional core assembly comprises a plurality of separable core elements, the periphery of the assembled units being configured to produce a matrix for the inner surface of the casting. `These core elements are provided with arms which converge in a com mon plane vertically disposed in' relation to the mold members 14 and aligned therewith. Each arm is aflixed to and supported by a rod 57 -guided in a bearing formed in an arm 55 extending from a turret head adapted for rotational movement upon a vertical journal carried by the frame 1. The upper ends of the rods 57 are united through linkage 7 3 to pivotally support-ed levers 71 the movement of which is controlled by cam wheels aflixed to a shaft 75 journalled in the arms 55. The shaft 75 is associated with a vertically disposed shaft and suitable gearing to effect,

its rotative movement as will be hereinafter explained, the organization of this gearing.. however, is provided to rotate the cam wheels and thus reciprocate Athe shafts 57 effecting the desired insertion or withdrawal of the core assembly with the mold members 14. The arms 55 may be -formed integral with the turret head, as shown, but in any event they are secured together toform a unitary ,structure adapted for rotational movement upon a vertical axis, as indicated'in Figure 7. and for successive registry of thecores above the mold.

According to my invention a motor 1,10 is secured upon therear upstanding portion of the base member 1 as indicated and operatively connected with a ring gear 111 concentric with the axis`of the turret bearing the members 55, as through suitable speed reducing gears and the jack shaft 112. rlhe gear 111 is supported b a suitable bearing shoulder on the base an Y normally runs free of both the base and the turret members 55. On the lower surface of the ring gear is cut a set of bevel teeth meshing with the bevel pinion 113 upon a radial shaft extendf ing within the gear box 114 and .carrying at its opposite extremity a bevel gear 115 meshing with a pair of bevel gears 1l6\and 116' free upon a vertical shaft 117 to run in lopposite directions in the gear box 114 which is fixed with the base 1. A collar 118 secured on the turret with the members 55 extends downwardly adjacent the gear 111 and carries a number of spaced friction members 119.geach urged to engagement with the upper finished surface of the gear by a spring 120, the total friction of the members 119 being suicient to normally effect rotation of the members 55 with the gear 111 which moves very slowly owing-to the speed reduction means described.

Upon each of the members 55 is secured a finger 121 the lower surface of which is finished and extends in a horizontal plane e above the gear box 114. Mounted for vertical movement in the gear box is a rod 122 controllable by a handle 123 but normally urged upwards by the spring 124 to a position in which the rounded head of the rod projects as indicated in Fig. 4, upward movement of the rod being limited as bythe nut 125 bearinfr against the ear box. In this'position ofj the rod 122 its upper end is slightly` above the plane of the lower surfaces of the members 121. The forward portions of these surfaces are beveled off as at 121 to form cams adapted'to engage the rod 122 to force it downwards until it rests i beneath the member 121 advanced against it by rotation of the turret.

In each of the members 121 is a depression c 124 adapted to tit the upper extremity of the rod 122 in the position indicated in Fig. 4 and circumferentially spaced such that when engaged by the rod its corresponding core 67 will be vertically aligned above the mold.

lVllat has been just immediately described is operative to rotate and automatically index the cores in succession as follows: Assuming one of the cores in alignment with the mold as after completipn of a casting operation the rod 122` engaging the depression in one of the members 121, will arrest Vfurther rotating movement of the collar 118 and its appurtenances as this engagement is sufficient to overcome the tendency of the friction members 119 to effect rotation of the members 55.

Downward movement of the handle 123 withdraws t-he rod 122 relieving its detent action upon the member 121 and allowing rotational movement of the members 55 with the gear 111 until, subject to release of the f handle 123, the next member 121 is engaged to position the next core in operative relation with the mold.

Associated with each of the gears 1164and 116 is a clutch member 126 of the expansible ring type adapted upon rotational movement of a wedge member 127 positioned between the ends of the member 126 to frictionally engage a suitable cylindrical inner surface upon the gear to secure the same with the shaft 117. Each of the members 127` is secured with a lever arm 128 the end of which is adapted for engagement with aconical surface upon the clutch control member 129. The member 129 is movable vertically upon the shaft 117 by means of 'the usual yoke 130 fitting within a groove its three described positions.

Upon the upper extremity of the shaft is a pinion 132 adapted as each of the members 55 is properly indexed, to mesh with a pinion 133 upon a vertical shaft 134, mounted on the arm 55.- Each of the arms 55 is provided with one of these shafts 134, the u per extremity of which carries a gear mes ing with a gear upon the shaft 75. Obviously therefore when any of the members 55 is indexed a drive ishprovided for the shaft from the motor 110 and subject to the control of the handle 131 to raise or lower a core through the mechanism carried by the arm 55 and already described.

Initiation of either the core lowering or core raising movement is by the handle 131, but I have provided means for automatically terminating rotation of shaft 75 at the proper time for completing the motion, as follows: Connecting with the lever which carries the handle 131 is a vertically slidable rod 135 terminating in a head 136 as indicated. Upon each of the members 55 is mounted in a bracket 137 a vertically movable rod 138 terminating at its lower extremity in a member 139 ofrconformationadapted when the arm 55 is indexed, to lit' around'the head 136, with some vertical clearance as indicated in Fig. -1. The weight of the rod 138 is conterbalanced by the spring 140. The upper end of the rod carries a .iinger141 'resting in the positionl shown, upon a pin 142 laterally projecting from the inner core? 'mally maintaining the handle 131 in any of operating cam; another finger 143 is also to detain the same in aligned position of any secured upon the rod 138 in the plane of the bent arm of the lever 144, the opposite arr.

of which extends into the plane of the pin 142. The arrangement is such that assuming the parts positioned as indicated in Fig. 1 upward movement of the handle 131 will move the member 129 upward to start the' core operating mechanism to insert the core into the mold, which will move the head 136 upward to just contact upon its upper surface with the member 139. As the pin 142 moves with its cam in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 1, it will ride around to coni tact with the lever 144 to move the same in a counterclockwise direction as the core attains its casting position. Movement-of the lever 144 efects through the arm 143 downward motion of the rod 138 to 4eiii'ect through the members 135,- 131 and 129 declutchin of the core` actuating mechanism.

Likewise subsequent downward movement of the handle 131 willzefiect withdrawal of the core 67 from the mold and as the pin 142 attains the position illustrated, upward movement of the lrod 138 to again return the handle 131 to neutral position.

What I claim is:

1. In a molding machine, a base, a mold thereon, a head mounted for rotation upon said base, a plurality of core units carried by said head and adapted for ,rotation therewith to successive alignment with said mold, means for inserting an aligned core into said mold and for withdrawing the same therefrom, andy power means for rotating said head and indexing the same to align said cores, comprising a motor secured upon said' base, a ring gear mounted upon said base adjacent said head,an operative connection between said motor and said ring gear whereby the latter is normally maintained rotating slowly, friction means whereby said head tends to rotate with said ring gear, means for dctaining said head in aligned position of any of said cores, and means for releasing said head for rotation from 50' thereon, ahead mounted for rotation upon said base, a plurality .of core units carried by said head and. adapted for rotation therewith to successive alignment wit-h said mold, means for inserting an aligned core into said mold and for withdrawing the same therefrom and power'means for rotating said head and indexing the same to align said cores, comprising avmotor secured upon said base, a ring `gear mounted upon said base adjacent said head, an operative connection between said motor and" said ring gear whereby the latter is normally maintained rotating slowly, friction means whereby said head tends torotate with said ring gear, means for automatically engaging said head of said cores, and means for releasing said head for rotation from sald position.

thereon, a head mounted for rotation upon said base, a'plurality of core units carried by said head and adapted for rotation therewith to successive alignment with said mold, each core unit including' a train of mechanism carried by said head for inserting an aligned core into said mold and forwithdrawing the same therefrom, and power means for accomplishing the functions tation from said position, means on said base actuated by said ring gear for controlling the operation of said train of mechanism, and means carried by said head in connection with said train Aof mechanism and engageable with said controlling means for actuation subject to said control means lof a core in said aligned position thereof.

4. In a molding machine, a base, a mold 3. In a molding machine, a base, a mold C named, 'comprising a motor secured upon Asaid base, a ring gear mounted upon sald thereon, a head mounted for rotation upon said base, a plurality of core units carried by said head and adapted for rotation therewith to successive alignment with said mold, each core unit including a train of actuating mechanism carried by said head for inserting an aligned core into said mold and for withdrawin the same therefrom, and power means or accomplishing the functions named cured upon said hase, a ring upon said base adjacent sai head, gearing operative between said motor and said ring gear whereby the latter is normally maintained in rotation at a 'slow speed, friction means whereby said head tends to rotate with said ring gear, means automaticall de- 'taining said head in aligned position o any of said cores, means for releasing said head for rotation from said position, means on said base actuated by said ring gear for controlling the operation of said train, means carried by said head in connection said control means of a core in said aligned position thereof, means on said vhead for initiating the operation, through saidcontrolling mechanism, of said train to insert or withdraw a core in said mold, anda con-v comprising-a motor seg gear mounted v nection between said train and said control means for automatically terminatingsaid core movement at' its completion.

5. In a molding machine, a base, a mold thereon, a head mounted for .rotation on said base, a plurality of core units carried by said head and adapted for rotation there? `for withdrawing the same-therefrom, said mechanism being carried by said head, a motor secured upon said base, a ring gear mounted upon said base adjacent said head, an operative connection between said motor and said ring gear whereby the latter may be maintained in rotation lat a s ow speed, friction means whereby said head tends to rotate with said ring gear, means automatically detaining said head in aligned position of any of said cores,'means for releasing said head for rotation from said position, a pinion mounted for rotation on said base, gears and clutches adapted to drive f said pinion in either direction from said ring gear, a handle for controlling said drive, pinions in operative connection with each of said trains of mechanism and adapted to mesh with said first named pinion as their respective cores are aligned with said mold whereby the train of mechanism opvits core, a member of eac erating said core may be driven, subject to said handle, by said rin gear, to operate of said trains of mechanism being adapted, in aligned position of said core, to disengage the drive to said iirst named pinion upon completion of an inserting or withdrawing movement of said core. I

6. In a molding machine, a mold, a core pin receiving aperture therein, a plurality of core pins adapted for successive cooperation with said aperture, said core pins being radially arranged upon a turret, said turret being movable in relation to said mold axially of said aperture to insert or withdraw a pin therein, and means dependent upon said movement of said turret for rotating the same to replace a pin aligned with said aperture. l

7. In a molding machine, a mold, a lever for opening and closing the same, a core pin receiving aperture in said mold, a plurality` of core pins adapted for successlve cooper'ation with said aperture, said core pins being radially arranged upon a turret, said turret being movable in relation to said mold, axially of said 'aperture to insert or withdraw a pin therein, a connection between said lever and said turret to eiect said movement, andy means dependent upon said movement for rotating said turret to replace a pin in alignment with said aperture. r

In testimony whereof I hereby affix my signature.

FRANK FELTES. 

